Jamesport may host triathlon in August 2012

Riverhead Town, and specifically Jamesport, is being pitched as the possible site of a triathlon next summer.

The idea came from Joe Maiorana of the town’s community development department. Mr. Maiorana is an avid runner who has also competed in a number of triathlons recently.

He and recreation superintendent Ray Coyne pitched the idea to the Town Board at Thursday’s public Town Board work session in Town Hall, and board members were mostly receptive to the idea.

“We want to run it in August 2012,” Mr. Coyne said.

A triathlon involves running, biking and swimming, all in the same race.

Mr. Coyne and Mr. Maiorana have mapped out a proposed route, which would include biking 11.3 miles from Town Beach Drive in Jamesport to Hubbard Avenue in Aquebogue; running 3.1 miles from Town Beach Drive to Washington Avenue in Jamesport, and back; and swimming about 500 meters at the town beach in South Jamesport.

Supervisor Sean Walter said he’d like to see the race either start or end in downtown Riverhead.

“I want to tie it into Main Street, that’s my only issue,” he said.

“Our objective is to have stuff downtown,” Mr. Coyne said, alluding to things like a pre-race “pasta night” the night before, and to areas where advanced registration take place.

The map proposed currently is almost entirely in the Jamesport area, however.

Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said her concern was that it doesn’t conflict with the Jamesport Fire Department’s annual 10K race, which is usually done in August.

Mr. Maiorana said the race wouldn’t cost the town anything, since private vendors would be hired to organize it, and those companies traditionally assume all race costs, such as insurance and promotion.

Police costs would be the only cost the town would assume, Mr. Walter said.

Mr. Maiorana said the plan would be for a portion of the proceeds from the race to go to a charity.